Apparatus for mining coal



Dec. 22, 1931. F. s. CALDWELL APPARATUS FOR MINING GOAL Filed June 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet v ENTOR w M Y ATT RNEYS.

Patented Dec. 22, 19-31 res PATENT ioFFicE, r

j FRED s. CALDWELL, 01? DENVER, cononnno APPARATUS FOR MINTNG COAL Application filed me e, 1929; Serial No. 368,908. v

My invention relates to apparatus for mining coal and its primary object is to provide a simple, highly practical and efficient apparatus for mining coal without the use of explosives or complicated machinery.

A. further objectis to provide apparatus for producing a disruptive and dislodging action upon a coal formation through the medium of a mechanically effected expansive movement.

An embodiment of my invention-has been illustrated in the accompanying, drawings which show my improved mechanism. for attaining the above objects. It is to be understood that the mechanism as shown may be varied in the construction and arrangement of its parts without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings, I I Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of the mechanism in its operative position in a bore of a coal formation, before its operation. a

.Figure 2, a similar view of the apparatus after the coal at a side of the bore has been disrupted and dislodged by the expansive action produced in the operation of the' apparatus,

Figure 3, a fragmentary elevation of the machine in the condition illustrated in Figure 2, showing a modified construction of one ofthe elements thereof, and

Figure 4, a face view of the. breast of the coal formation showing atA a sectionalong the'line A-A,' Figure l and at B a section onthe line B-B, Figure 2.,

Figures 5 and 6 are perspective views of'the units comprisedin the expansion element of the apparatus, I V t Figure 7 is a section along the line 77 of Figure'2 or-the line 77 of Figure 3, and

Figure. 8, a section taken on the line 88, Figure 3.7

1 Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the views.

the cylinder 14.

The coal deposit to. be mined has been indicated at b. The first step of'miningthe coal bymy improved methodand apparatus consists in the production of holes (iby the use ofa suitable boring mechanisnnsimilar 50 to the present methodof coal miningxby" means of explosives.

The holes arelbored at a suitable distance from an under-cut Tproduced'by ,a cutting machine as isusual in mining coal, and itis v the part 8 between the holes and the under= cut that is disrupted and removed in the operationof the invention.

The expansive element comprised in the mechanism for carrying the method involved in the invention into eifectfconsists of a" seriesfof units capable of conjoint action upon the surface of the hole in which the elem ntis inserted by a edging motion imparted to the series by alpower element ex teriorlytof the hole. j I f i The units consist ofplates 9 providedwith oblong openings 10 and strung'together on a flat-sided rod 12. The rod, whichis preferably square asshown int-he dravvingghas at one end a head 13 against-which the series of plates abut and its opposite end'isin rigid supported on a base 115.

The series of plates, at the end thereof opposite to that abutting against .the head ofthe rod, is engaged by a-hollow stems 16 of a piston 17 that is fitted for reciprocation in Therod 12;is looselylfitted within low stem to permit of. free sliding movement of the piston and'the cylinderin opposite dig 7' A valve-oontrolled conduit 118 connected- With the cylinder adjacent the, closed end 19 thereof, provides for the admission of a motive fluid in the space 20 between the end of i the sliding cylinder andthe piston.

The flat-sided rod 12 fits loosely-jinstheopenings of theplatesto permit of za non- ,further explained.

likewise fit upon the guide bars which thereby hold the piston againstrotarymotion in the cylinder.

In the construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the endplates 9aof the series of units are heavier than. the others, and all of the units are grooved at their, ends to admit the guide "bars;

In the form of the invention shown in Fig ure 3, heavier units 9a are placed at intervals between'theotherunits of the series, and only the'heavier units are grooved at their ends'to fit' upon'the guide bars. The other lighter unitsare shorter, their length being substantially equal to the distance. between the grooves of the heavier units as best shown in Figure6. v Y r "The guidebars .21 are made of resilient material 'softhat'they may give during the expansive action of the element aswill be In the operation of the. apparatus on the rodbetween theheadof the same and the end of the hollowpiston stem, are inserted in one of theholes of the coal formation, the plates being in a position oblique with relation tothe longitudinal extent of the rod.

It isan essential feature of the mechanism that the length of the plates. i. e., the distance between their ends engaged bythe opposed and parallel: guide bars, exceeds the diameter ofthe hole, so that. under-ordinary condition's, thef'plates must naturally assume a slanting position'inorder to enter the hole.

By the admission of a motive fluid, such as. compressed air, between the cylindei end andthe piston, the cylinder and the piston are forced to move inopposite directions w th the result that the head at the end of the rodis moved outwardly toward the open end of the hole, and the end of the hollow piston stem is simultaneously moved farther lnto'the hole.. l i

v It has been heretofore explained that the head and the sleeve engage the series of platesatfopposite ends thereofand it will bereadily apparent that the two forces actlng in opposite directions upon the series, will tend to lessen the angle'of inclination of the plates until they are placed at substantially rightangles to the rod and to the directionin which the forces are applied to the series. 9 f

Inasmuch as the plates exceed in length the the guide" bars together with the series of plates strung of holes is then bored above the space from which the coal has been removed, and the Coal between these holes and the space dislodged in similar operations, and it will be seen that in this manner an entire coal deposit is readily mined without the use of explosives or complicated machinery.

In the place of the cylinder and piston shown and described, the opposing forces upon the expansive element may be produced by other means and at any desired intensity through the intermediary of suitable gearingi t is further to be understood that the force for the operation of the expansive element which in the embodiment of'the invention herein disclosed, is'appliedat op'- posite ends thereof, may be applied at one end only by providing a fixed abutment for the'opposite end. It isv thought that this modification is too obvious to require "further illustration. v

The expansive element may be of any desired character or construction, the series of contacting and angularly. moving plates being-- preferred not only by reason of its simplicity and efiicient operation,but also because it provides for the engagement of the wallof' the bore uniformly at every'point thereof. l

I Any method to'eifect the angular inovementof the plates from a slanting position to an erect position may be resorted to within the scope of the invention and as stated before, the effective forces may be applied at'either end or at both ends of the series ofplates. by any suitable means; I I

The plates whilebeing moved through an angle are simultaneously moving bodily lengthwlse of the bore and. this 1s another distinctive featureof the invention. What I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is l Apparatus for minirllg'coali comprising mo 7 a rod, a series of units capableof' moving through an angle on the rod and long tudinally relative to the same, and means toeffeet said movement of-the units.

. 2. Apparatus formining coal, comprising a headed member, a series oflunits engaging the head of the member and capable of moving through an angle on the member and.

longitudinally relative to the same, a movable member engaging the series at its endopposite to that engaged by the head, and

the rod, a member engaging the 'seriesat the V means to effect saidmovementof the units by movement of the members in opposlt'e directions. r

3. Apparatus for mining coal,-coinprising a rod, a seriesof loose plates adapted to move from a slanting position on the rod toa position at substantially right angles to thesam e,

and means to eifect said movement of the units by longitudinal movement of the rod.

4. Apparatusfor mining coal, comprising" a rod, a series of loose plates adapted to move lengthwise of the rod from a slanting posi tion to a position at substantially right 1 angles to the same, :and means to effect said movement of the units. r

5. Apparatus for mining coal, comprising a rod, a series of loose plates adapted to move from a slanting position onthe rod to a position at substanti'ally right angles to the same, loose guidebars guiding the plates in their said movementy'and means to effect said movement. V

6; Apparatus for mining coal, comprising a headed rod, a series of plates adapted to" move from a slanting position'on the r'odto a 7 position at substantially right angles to the same, laterally resilient guide bars guidingrsaid movement, and means" the plates in thei to effect said movement.

7. Apparatusfor minlng coal, compr sing a rod,"a series of grooved plates adapted to move from a slanting posit on in aibore to a position at substantiallyright angles to the axis'of the same, guide bars engaging in the, grooves of the plates to guide'the latter in their said movement,'-and means toeffect said movement. j 4,

8. Apparatus for mining coal, comprising, a headed rod, a series of plates adapted to move from aislanting position on the. rod to t a positionatsubstantially right anglesto the same, in engagement with the head'of end thereof opposite to that engaging the head, and means for moving the rod and the member simultaneously in opposite dlrections.

9. Apparatusfor mining coal, comprisinga headed rod, a, series of plates adaptedto cylinder andthe piston.- v

10. Apparatus for minin coal,comprising a headed rod, a series of plates adapted to move from a'slantingposition on the rod to a position at substantially right angles to the same, 111 engagement with the head of the rod, a sliding cylinder connected with the rod to thatin engagement {with the head,'an'dan end of the series whereby to compel the platesto move conjointly through .a'n angle ily' lengthwise of the bore.

' lar movement of the element wherebyto exert a lateral disruptive force upon said sidesoof" rigid element adapted to engage in a slant ing'position,'at opposite sides of a bore in a and'having afclosed end, a piston in the oylins" 1 der having a stem Taround i'thelrod and nrena ga-genient with the end off-the series i-opposite means tO fintIiQCliLCQ"EEHlOlblV fluid between the i end of the cylinder and the piston.

a red, a s eries of slotted 'plates iadapted to mover-along the'rod from"a slanting'position' j on the rodito a positionat' substantially'right a V anglesttothe same, andimeans toeifectsaid movement ofithevunitsf 312.? Apparatus-for mining coal comprisingw I a series of loose unitsadaptedto enter into. a; bore10fa'icoal formatlon 1n a slanting pos tion, and means to effect movemenu'oftheunit s toward or to an ierect position lengthwiseof the axis of the bore, whereby to exert a lateral disruptionlforce upon the wall of the bore. V

,13. Apparatus for mining coal comprising a. series ofcontacting plates adapted toenter into a bore of a coal, formation in a slanting position, andmeans to effect a movement of "51 plates to" or toward anr erect position "whereby toi'ex ert a lateral disruptive force f 'upon the wall'of the bore. l

. 1d, Apparatus for inining'coal comprising 1 a series ofunconnected and contacting units adapted to enter into aabor ofaeoal formaa 't'ion ina slanting. position, and means to'efa feet a movement ofthe units toward orjto an erectposition,whereby to exert a lateral dis-T r'uptive forceup'on-the wall of the boreJ f 15; Apparatus for mining coal comprising a series of contacting plates adapted to enter.

into abore of a coal. formationin a slanting" position, and means to exert pressure upon towardjor to an erect position. c.

16; Apparatus for miningeoal co'mprismg a series of contacting platesa daptedto enter into a bore of a coal formatlon in aslanting.

position, and means to exert pressure upon tlieends'ofthe series whereby'to compel the toward or'to an erect position.

17. Apparatus for'mining coal comprising a series of contacting plates adapted'to enter into a bore of a coal formationina slanting a position, and means for causing said plates to plates to move'conjointly through an angle move conjointly through an angle to or to-.

ward an erect position andto movethem'bpd;

,18, Apparatus for mining coal,

rigid, element adaptedt'o engage-inaslant ing position, at opposite sides of abore in a 1 coal formation, and mean'sto effect anangu the'bore. V a H I V 19. Apparatus for min ng coal, comprising coal f0rmati0n, and nieansto fi'ect an'angular mbvement of theleme'nt, by pressure applied simultaneously at opposite sides there;

()f,"wher eby to exert alate ral disruptive'force 1-; upon the sides of the bore engaged by the el- -Inent. 20. Apparatus formining coalgbomprising va rigid elementadapted-to engage in'a slantingpositipn," atfiopposit sides (if a bore-in a. coal formation, means'tO efiectvanwangular inovernht of the element Wherebyto'exert a lateral disruptive force liponrsaidsi des of the. V, b0re,iand meansgfor guiding the elementin its I said'movementf Ti: L 3 55 T-In' testimony whereof I have" affixed-my" signatdre; 1 V

- FRED CALDWELL. 

